In industrial valve operations where there is a requirement for frequent intermittent flow with the added requirement that the user is not required to physically hold the valve in either the open or closed position, a standard toggle valve typically is used. However, in certain instances, such as controls for air driven rotary dental equipment, the valve must be controlled blind by the user's foot, and in this circumstance a toggle valve is difficult to actuate and, therefore, diverts the user's attention from the tool being controlled by the valve. However, a linearly operable intermittent valve which is of simplified operation has not heretofore been known.
While prior art solonoid operated valves give the aforementioned control advantages, they are quite bulky and complex and, therefore, expensive and unwieldy to use. In addition, as the electrical contacts become dirty over a period of time, the valves are not completely reliable which, in the case of dental equipment for example, can have undesirable effects. Therefore, even in light of the above described limitations, toggle valves are still used in applications of this type due to their straight forward reliable operation.